Possible radicalized Muslim arrested

Tuesday

VICTORVILLE — San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials arrested a man believed to be a radicalized Muslim after he allegedly chased and threatened to kill a neighbor with a sword Monday.

Mohamed Ahmed Elrawi, 57, of Victorville, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder early Tuesday, sheriff's Sgt. Dave Burgess told the Daily Press, and deputies found evidence at Elrawi's apartment that suggested he may have been a radicalized Muslim.

Authorities responded to a call of a subject brandishing a weapon in the 14000 block of La Paz Drive at 5:09 p.m. Monday. Elrawi had gotten into a dispute with the victim, believed to be a neighbor, and allegedly began to chase the victim with a sword and threatened to kill him, authorities said.

Elrawi said he would "Die and kill for Allah" before he fled, Burgess said.

The victim was able to escape unharmed, Burgess said, and a search warrant was served at Elrawi's apartment nearby.

"A Quran and other items were located inside the suspect's residence, leading investigators to believe Elrawi may have been a radicalized Muslim," Burgess said. The Sheriff's Department Intelligence Division was notified.

Authorities began surveillance of Elrawi's apartment, and Elrawi was taken into custody without incident when he returned to his apartment shortly after midnight Tuesday, Burgess said.

It was unknown if the FBI was aware of the incident, Burgess said.

Mark Tashamneh, 50, of Victorville, is a resident at the apartment complex who told the Daily Press he was born and raised in Jordan. Tashamneh came to the United States in 2001 and said he knew Elrawi and that he was a mechanic he had worked with a couple of times.

Tashamneh said he heard a commotion occurring outside of his apartment Monday night and when he opened his apartment door he saw Elrawi threatening neighbors. Later that night, Tashamneh said he also witnessed authorities taking Elrawi into custody. He said Elrawi threatened him in Arabic, saying he was going to kill Tashamneh when he got out of jail. Sheriff's officials did not confirm Tashamneh's claims.

Tashamneh told the Daily Press that Elrawi accused him of calling authorities and telling them he was a terrorist. Tashamneh said he was questioned about the terrorism accusation but cleared up things with authorities. Tashamneh told the Daily Press he didn't call authorities on Elrawi and that he has never referred to him as a terrorist.

“I’m a Christian, I’m happy ... and I believe what I believe," Tashamneh said. "I am not against what he believes, but he apparently has a problem with me and came and threatened me."

Yolanda Goring, 25, of Victorville, is also a resident at the apartment complex who said she witnessed some of Monday's altercation. Goring said she didn't know Elrawi personally but would see him around the complex.

According to Goring, she walked outside to see Elrawi wielding a sword and threatening the other residents.

“My kids were sleeping when I heard a lot of noise," Gorning said. "I went outside and saw that (Elrawi) had a big sword that he was swinging back and forth. I went back inside but I could still hear yelling and arguing and I heard (Elrawi) telling someone that he was going to kill him.”

Goring said she could hear Elrawi arguing and yelling with one of her neighbors, accusing him of stealing something.

Another source who wished to remain anonymous said they knew Elrawi as “Mo” and would greet him every day after they came back from work.

“I remember last night there were cops here when I was walking," the source told the Daily Press. "He told me he tends to keeps to himself and that he doesn’t talk to anybody. I never really assumed he would do anything.”

The director of the High Desert Islamic Society in Victorville, Yousef Farha, told the Daily Press on Tuesday that Elrawi is a former member of that mosque. Elrawi was banned from the mosque in January after a small group — Elrawi included — attempted to "hijack" the mosque, according to Farha.

Farha said Elrawi also threatened his life and police informed Farha to "watch out."

"Mentally he is not stable," Farha said. "(Elrawi) — just about two or three years ago — his son committed suicide and that contributed to his situation. He doesn't care about religion. He just goes to mosque for the heck of it."

A "Mohamed Ahmed Elrawi" was previously charged with attempted murder in this county and later convicted Feb. 10, 1999 for felony spousal abuse in a plea bargain, court records show. It wasn't clear Tuesday afternoon whether Elrawi was the same person. In that case, the man was sentenced to six years in prison and credited with 605 days for time served and good behavior — 89 of which were spent at Patton State Hospital, a forensics psychiatric facility, in San Bernardino, court records show.

Elrawi was arrested at 2 a.m. Tuesday and was in custody at High Desert Detention Center in lieu of $500,000 bail, jail records show. He is expected to be arraigned Thursday.

He has a warrant out of Riverside County for violating a protective order, according to jail records, although the nature of the order was not immediately clear.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact Detective M. Mason or Sgt. Dave Burgess at the Victorville Sheriff's Station at 760-241-2911. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-782-7463 or you may leave information online at www.wetip.com.